


Drop Your Walls

by kristsune



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, Reunions, Spoilers for 177, and you know i was gonna have it be barnes, hug the rogue, its how i roll, oh its all soft, someone needed to give carter a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27771574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: Barnes sees Carter walk out of that building and could only had one action available to him: Hug The Rogue
Relationships: Commander James Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 52





	Drop Your Walls

**Author's Note:**

> As you all know, I love Howard Fucking Carter so damn much, and so does Barnes. This just needed to happen.   
> Normally I would have had this up quicker, but between doing audio and working most of this weekend, it took a bit longer. <3

Barnes couldn’t help the sound that escaped him when he saw everyone walking out of the building; somewhere between a huff of laughter, and a sob. Barnes also knew who that sound was for specifically. Of course he was glad to see Wilde, and the kobolds back, things wouldn't be the same without them, but he only had eyes for one tall, lanky man. Carter looked to be okay, no signs of physical pain, or any of the damage that had been from…. from before. The only difference, with both Carter and the others, was their new shocks of white hair, (and scales for the kobolds). 

Barnes was barely able to resist rushing up to Carter before they walked past the now receding circle of ice, but he couldn’t. Not yet. Carter didn’t even know how Barnes felt about him, not really anyway. They had been sharing a room since Japan, and had become extremely close in that time, sharing a bed half the time, but they never  _ talked _ about anything.

And then Carter died. He was thrown from the ship, and hadn’t survived. Barnes had to watch as this man he had gotten so close to over the past year and a half, get laid out in the snow. The idea that he never got to tell Carter how his feelings and how they had developed over their time together; how yeah, he could be frustrating, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care for him. 

And then there was hope. Hope that Carter could come back, that there was a way to get his frustratingly wonderful rogue back in his life. It broke something in Barnes, a dam holding all his walls in place, keeping those emotions in check. There was a chance he could tell Carter; that he wouldn’t have to live with the knowledge that Carter died without knowing he was loved. 

But, they were surrounded by other people, and they still didn’t know what this mysterious payment was going to be. No matter what kind of change of heart Barnes had, confessing his feelings in front of other people was one wall that was still in place.

Well, mostly.

It didn’t stop him from reaching out and wrapping his hand around the back of Carter’s neck to pull him in for a hug as soon as he got close. Carter huffed a laugh in surprise, but didn’t pull away. They didn’t do this often, but they had been physically close for quite some time, it wasn’t unheard of. 

The problem was, Barnes couldn’t bring himself to let go. One hand still at the back of Carter’s neck and the other around his shoulders. Carter hesitantly wrapped his arms around Barnes waist, knowing how he was about public displays of affection (platonic, romantic or otherwise) but caught on that Barnes wasn’t going to release him anytime soon.

Eventually Barnes loosened his hold on Carter, but kept one hand on his shoulder, unable to completely let go. Carter kept his hand on Barnes’ elbow, like he wanted it to stay there as well.

Carter gave a lopsided smile, “Wow, is that an actual emotion on your face, Barnes?” 

“Shut it, Carter.” Any heat that might have been in Barnes’ reply was lost due to how thick Barnes’ voice was. 

Carter’s expression softened, “You really did miss me?”

Barnes’ hand tightened at the crook of Carter’s neck and shoulder, “Yeah, Howard, I really did.”

They still had a lot of talking to do, but with the way Howard pulled Barnes back into the hug, told him at least some of what he felt made it through. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to stop by and visit me over on [tumblr](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/) or [twitter!](https://twitter.com/Kristsune)


End file.
